Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Richard H]

Ok, about a month ago I started to get serious hankerings for a Somerset! My dad used to own one when I was about 13, and I missed it terribly, so decided to buy one of my own.
Anyway, a friend on facebook offered me his one! The only problem was that it was near Glastonbury, which is the other side of the country from here, and as a southerner I don't like travelling for cars. Nevertheless, it looked a very good bet, having been upgraded with a 1489cc B series engine out of a Wolseley 1500, new brakes all round, a complete rewire, new dynamo, fuel pump and many other bits! So yesterday my dad gave me a lift down to Somerset to collect it, and I proceeded to drive the 180 miles home. I'm pleased to report the car ran superbly, cruises easily at 60mph with the B series and is lovely to drive!
This morning I drove it down to university, and it's still running well. Currently it's staring at the back end of a BMW about a mile from my digs in the only free parking space left (which was tiny!).

Jobs to do: Fit a choke cable, as it doesn't have one and the mixture has been richened to compensate. The exhaust looks fairly new, but appears to have a hole in the silencer which is blowing badly! It could probably do with a custom, larger bore exhaust fitting anyway. Needs a spare tyre, as it's an ancient remould crossply that looks about as old as the car and it has radials all round. Oh and the windscreen washers don't work and the headlights are hopeless. And the temperature gauge doesn't work.

This was what was greeting me when I arrived in cider country.





Looks good doesn't it? This car photographs very well, in reality the paintwork is terrible with bits that have been polished through to the undercoat, bits that have been touched in by a blind parrot with a brush and various aerosol can touchups. But I think it looks great! After loading up the spares we went and got some petrol, before heading for home.







Sorry that some of the photos are a bit blurred, I'm no photographer and think I had the camera on the wrong setting!

Driving on the A303 in Wiltshire:



Home!





I then took it out for a drive around some local lanes!







This car is awesome, I'm so pleased with it!
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1935 Standard Twelve
1953 Austin A40 Somerset
1958 Austin A55 Cambridge
1959 Austin A35
1980 Vauxhall Royale 2.8 auto
1987 Austin Maestro 1.3 L

[colwyn500]

Richard, you're mad and brave in equal measure and a real car "nut" (if you don't mind me being so cheeky).
It's great to read such enthusiasm.
Congratulations.

[colwyn500]

Duplicated

[Penman]

Hi
Looks very nice Richard.
The high contrast piping is striking and it prompted me to look at other pictures on Google images.
There is a great variety of treatments, some having matching colour, some same colour but different hue (dark blue piping on light blue paint for instance) and others like yours.

Does anyone know what the normal delivery spec would have been?
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[Rick]

Great find RH, a good "user" and having the B series is a good mod too.

How's the interior trim?

RJ
_________________
Rick (OCC Admin)
Various 1920s-1960s - Austin, Morris, Commer, Dodge etc.

[Rick]

Just to add, after adding my previous reply a few minutes ago, I got to thinking about my old Somerset.

I then opened up my email, the first message in the inbox is from someone who now has my old Somerset - how weird is that, this is the first I've heard of it since I sold it in 2001/2002. The new owner will be joining up soon, with some interesting progress reports.

RJ
_________________
Rick (OCC Admin)
Various 1920s-1960s - Austin, Morris, Commer, Dodge etc.

[Brian M]

With the Essex Reg No this car had your name on it!
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Brian
1970 Volvo Amazon and 1978 Safari 15-4 Caravan
Classic Safari Forum: www.classicsafaris.co.uk

[rjt10/4]

Nice looking Somerset Richard a bit better condition than mine which i belive to also be a 1953 although i have yet to apply for an age related registration

[gresham flyer]

A jolly good find.....another Austin. !!!

The car that replaced the Devon.

It was good of you to drive it home all that way.

I always take my trailer with me when viewing a car , just in case the previous owner did not have the vehicle maintained properly.

Then after a morning in my workshop checking over the car I take it out for a good shakedown run.

You would be surprised the minor faults I have found just waiting to let the car down.


I did pick up on two items that were carried out on your trip home that is not really in the theme of owning old vehicles or having a passion for the past.

Eating in a Little Chef and having a satellite navigation system in your lovely old 1953 Austin.

Little chef`s ought to be banned.!!!
What happened to visiting a real lorry or transport café.?

They are still out there if you know where to look, you can find them on Google, there are still some crackers out there especially in Lincolnshire.

And only road maps should be allowed in classic cars.

Far better than having a computer voice telling you where to go.

Apart from this good luck with your new purchase.


G.F

[Rick]

GF has a point, I hope to see relevant edition(s) from this series placed appropriately within the A40 in your next instalment, rather than sat nav:





RJ
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Rick (OCC Admin)
Various 1920s-1960s - Austin, Morris, Commer, Dodge etc.

[peter scott]

[Richard H]

Guilty as charged Gresham The really shameful thing is that I have a BMC road atlas at home. I will endeavour to use the 'Sat Nav' less in future
_________________
1935 Standard Twelve
1953 Austin A40 Somerset
1958 Austin A55 Cambridge
1959 Austin A35
1980 Vauxhall Royale 2.8 auto
1987 Austin Maestro 1.3 L

[Richard H]

What can I say Peter, the passenger who took that photo over my shoulder is a better photographer than I am

Some more photos. Any ideas for a name? The registration letters have me stumped.





Most important! Sorry it's not very period, but might stop someone running into the back of me!



The interior is quite tired, but it's very original, which is the main thing! Can't stand retrimmed interiors









And the B series powerhouse! It had a K&N air filter on there when I bought it would you believe, which sounded rather incongruous in a Somerset Brand new distributor and fuel pump fitted, and the engine is as sweet as a nut.


_________________
1935 Standard Twelve
1953 Austin A40 Somerset
1958 Austin A55 Cambridge
1959 Austin A35
1980 Vauxhall Royale 2.8 auto
1987 Austin Maestro 1.3 L

[D4B]

[Bugly]